The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is deeply saddened at the death of a local journalist, Jafar Ali Mohamed, and joins media colleagues in southwestern regions in expressing condolences for Mohamed’s family, friends and media colleagues.
Radio journalist Jafar Ali Mohamed was among nearly a dozen of innocent civilians who were caught up in crossfire between African Union forces (AMISOM) and Al Shabaab militants near Arbiska area, in Afgoye district. Mohamed who has been working as a radio presenter with Afgoye based Dayah FM station, was also a primary schoolteacher. He died on the spot when fatal stray bullets killed him.
“Both sides should be held accountable for the death of Jafar Ali Mohamed who had nothing to do with the conflict which is taking life of innocent journalists” said Ali Ilyas Abdullahi, Deputy chairperson of NUSOJ supreme counsel who is a close friend of Jafar Ali Mohamed.
NUSOJ Secretary General Omar Faruk Osman said the unnecessary death of Jafar Ali Mohamed is loss of another journalist that needs not only to be investigated but needs justice takes its course. “This killing and all other killings of journalists show that journalists are not safe anywhere in this country”.
Jafar Ali Mohamed is the 3rd journalist to be killed in Somalia in this year. It was on 14 October when journalist Ali Nur Siad-Ahmed died in the devastating Mogadishu truck bombing that claimed the lives of 400 people. On 13 September, journalists in Hiran region had witnessed another shocking loss when Abdullahi Osman Moallim succumbed to injuries he sustained from suicide blast at a restaurant in Beledweyne Town.